An Avatar and his Prince
by Vampirehelsing
Summary: Sequel to An Avatar and his Cat! Now that Zuko is part of the gang he must teach Aang firebending as well as the art of love. Can they survive the war, Iroh's tea obsession and each other? The fangirls hope so. Zuaang. Discontinued.
1. Chapter 1

Sequel time! I just couldn't resist sharing with you all the wonderful things that go on inside my head. This takes place not long after An Avatar and his Cat. In relation to the show it's just before 'The Blind Bandit'. You're going to have to bear with me as I repeat that episode and maybe parts of 'The Chase' and 'Bitter Work' because there's relevant stuff in them. But it will be interesting to see how Zuko and Iroh fit into these episodes.

The rating may go up but for now Zuko and Aang's relationship isn't going to be too intense. Even if Zuko is a hormonal teenager Aang isn't…yet.

Now, without further ado I present to you…

* * *

**An Avatar and his Prince**

**Chapter 1**

It had been about a week since Zuko had returned to his human form. It had been a very strange week for all concerned since they were all getting use to the now enlarged group. It was hard work putting bitter rivalries behind and many disputes had erupted within the camp. These mostly involved Sokka and Zuko. Both boys greatly disliked the other, and it was a regular occurrence for an insult to slip out accidentally. One would have thought that Sokka would learn quickly that Zuko was not to be messed with but this was not the case.

"Zuko stop!" Aang cried urgently.

Zuko stopped shooting fireballs at Sokka to turn to Aang. "Someone needs to teach him to respect his betters," Zuko said coldly.

"And that person is Katara," Aang explained carefully.

Zuko gave Sokka one last glare before walking away. Aang gave a relieved sigh before going to see if Sokka was injured. The young warrior had taken refuge behind a tree to try to get out of the line of fire. Aang used his Airbending to jump up into the tree Sokka was hiding behind. When he jumped down in front of the boy from the Southern Water Tribe he watched in amusement as Sokka screamed before diving to the floor.

"You know, if you didn't annoy Zuko so much he wouldn't try to kill you," Aang said calmly, holding back his laughter.

Sokka looked up at Aang and was suddenly mad at the young Avatar for tricking him. "Aang! Why did you do that?!"

"Because I knew you'd get all scared and you look really funny when you cower," Aang replied cheerfully.

"I was not cowering!" Sokka shouted, his face turning red from a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

"Of course not," Aang said before leaving Sokka to seek out Zuko.

Aang found the firebender meditating at the other side of the camp. Zuko often meditated after fighting with Sokka. Aang guessed that this was his way of calming down. It seemed to work since Zuko never tried to bite his head off when he tried to start a conversation.

"What did Sokka do this time?" Aang asked as he took a seat next to Zuko.

"He opened his big mouth," Zuko replied without opening his eyes.

Aang shook his head, wondering if the two would ever stop fighting. He didn't think they would since both Sokka and Zuko were too stubborn for their own good. He understood this and all he asked of his two friends was that they didn't try to kill each other; they could try to severely injure each other but not kill.

Aang took up the same meditating position as Zuko. Iroh had told him that if he was to learn Firebending he must learn to control his breathing. He had sat like this with Zuko many times over the past week. What usually would have been a boring exercise to Aang was made less tedious by the fact that his boyfriend was right next to him and in this state of serenity Aang felt very close to Zuko.

Zuko's eye opened and he looked over at Aang. A smile tugged at his lips as he watched the boy breathing gently. The young prince was still amazed that he was here with Aang and the rest. If he had been told a few months ago that he was to become the boyfriend of the Avatar he would have dismissed the whole issue entirely. But now that he was here, with Aang, everything seemed so different. His view of the world was changing and he knew that in time he would have to change some of his hard-core beliefs. But for now he was content to just sit and listen to Aang breathing in time with himself.

* * *

"Aang still needs an Earthbending teacher," said Katara, as practical as ever.

"There's a town not that far away, maybe there will be someone there willing to teach him," said Iroh as he sipped his tea.

Katara nodded in agreement. "I think we should go to the town tomorrow morning and have a look."

There were nods and acceptant mutterings from around the campfire. Aang then turned to Zuko and said, "This will be your first time flying on Appa won't it?"

"Yes," Zuko replied calmly.

"Don't worry, Appa's a great flyer," Aang reassured even though it didn't seem that Zuko was worried about riding a giant flying bison.

After that the gang retired for the night. Aang curled up in Zuko's arms, his head resting on the Prince's strong chest. "Good night Zuko," Aang whispered.

"Good night Aang," Zuko whispered back before drifting into the throws of sleep.

* * *

The next day the four teenagers and one senior citizen were exploring the Earth Kingdom town. Even though they were only supposed to be here to stock up on supplies and find an Earthbending master Sokka had still managed to move away from the intended agenda.

"It's pricy but I really do like it," he said as he observed the green bag.

"Then you should get it. You deserve something nice," Katara said kindly, wishing Sokka would hurry up already.

"You're right I do," Sokka said but then changed his mind. "I can't though, it's too pricy. I shouldn't; or should I?"

"Just make up your mind already!" Zuko shouted, losing his patience entirely.

"Hey, I'll make up my mind when I feel like it," Sokka snapped back.

Zuko threw his hands up in the air and walked off before he caused a scene by setting something on fire. Aang and Iroh shared a look before following him. "We'll see you guys when Sokka's sorted out his dilemma," Aang called over his shoulder.

Katara sighed, wishing she hadn't been left alone with her brother who had returned to studying the bag. At least Momo hadn't deserted her. She glared at the little lemur as it turned traitor and followed Aang.

Zuko didn't go far. Aang and Iroh found him doing breathing exercises whilst leaning against a wall. Both exchanged glances before settling down beside him.

"So how did you find your first ride on a flying bison?" Aang asked to break the silence.

"Most enjoyable even if the take off wasn't very good for my old heart," Iroh replied merrily.

Both turned to Zuko who seemed to have stopped doing his exercises. "It would have been better if that idiot hadn't been there," Zuko replied quietly.

It appeared that Zuko was calm and ready to move on. "Shall we begin the search for an Earthbending teacher then?" Iroh asked.

"Alright," Zuko replied, sneakily taking hold of Aang's hand. He didn't know why he did it; it just felt right.

Aang grinned and ran back into the bustle of the market place, dragging Zuko along with him. Iroh followed more slowly, basking in the happiness the two youths created.

* * *

When Sokka had finally decided that he was buying the bag he and Katara began looking for the others. They found Iroh waiting for them not far from where they had been. He led them both to a place called 'Master Yu's Earthbending Academy' where they found Zuko wearing an amused smile, but no Aang.

"Where's Aang?" Katara asked before Aang came through the gates of the Academy looking disappointed.

"He's not the one," he informed the others.

Just then two other students walked out of the dojo. Their conversation was ignored by all until the words 'best Earthbenders in the world' met the gang's ears. Aang instantly became interested in what the boys were saying. "Hey! Where exactly is this Earthbending tournament being held?"

The boys ignored him and carried on walking. Zuko frowned and made a move to follow them. Katara held out her arm to stop him. "I'll do it," she said before running after the boys. Moments later she returned wearing a self-satisfied smile. "The tournament's at Earth Rumble 6," she said proudly.

So they all made their way to Earth Rumble 6, a great underground stadium where Earthbenders went to claim glory. There were already hundreds of spectators sitting in the stands but for some reason they had left the first few rows empty. "Wow, front row seats! I wonder why nobody else is sitting here," Aang said as he and the others took a seat on the stone benches.

Just then a giant boulder landed a few feet away from where they were sitting. "Does that answer your question?" asked Iroh.

Moments later the host stepped forward and began announcing the line up. Everyone except Katara stared excitedly at the ring. "This is just going to be a bunch of guys throwing rocks at each other isn't it?" she asked in a bored tone.

"That's what I paid for!" Sokka said hopefully.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I doubt we're going to find a master here."

Sokka turned to shush him. Zuko glared at his back, imagining the young warrior mysteriously setting on fire. Aang noticed the glare and leaned in close to Zuko. "Ignore him. If this gets too boring we can always take up our favourite past time."

Zuko's lips twitched up into a smile as a light blush covered his cheeks. How could they not at the thought of kissing his boyfriend?

The matches started and the gang watched for anyone who could be Aang's Earthbending teacher. None of the participants matched the criteria though and soon everyone except Sokka became bored. The only bit of interest came when a fighter named 'Fire Nation Man' came into the ring. Both Zuko and Iroh felt insulted by his ridiculous portrayal of someone from the Fire Nation. It got worse when he started to 'sing' the national anthem. The crowd started booing and throwing things at him; even Sokka joined in. The Water Tribe boy would not have lived much longer if Aang hadn't quickly diverted Zuko's attention by pulling him into a fierce kiss. Zuko immediately forgot his desires to disembowel Sokka since making out with Aang was so much more fun.

After that Sokka was the only one who paid any attention to the action in the ring. Katara was paying attention to some action, but it wasn't in the ring. Iroh had fallen asleep, not the least disturbed by what his nephew was doing a few feet away from him.

Aang was deeply upset when he heard Katara calling his name. He remorsefully removed his lips from Zuko's. He looked into the deep amber eyes of his boyfriend, his breathing heavy from lack of oxygen. Aang was sorely tempted to return to passionately kissing Zuko but Katara seemed intent on getting his attention.

"Aang, what about the Blind Bandit as your teacher?"

Aang looked over at the twelve year old in the ring. She was the champion? How was she going to compete with the Boulder? She must really be a powerful Earthbender.

Everyone in the audience watched in amazement as the young blind girl easily defeated The Boulder. Sokka was on the verge of crying now that his hero had been beaten; the others were staring open mouthed at how strong she was. Iroh was still sleeping.

Aang stared at the Blind Bandit intently. "She's going to be my Earthbending teacher," he said quietly so that only Zuko caught it. The young Firebender watched Aang suspiciously, wondering what he was planning.

Next the announcer challenged the audience to fight the Blind Bandit. Aang jumped up and shouted, "I will!" before making his way into the arena.

Sokka called for Aang to avenge the Boulder while Katara and Zuko watched anxiously. "What do you think he's planning to do?" Zuko asked quietly.

"I don't know," Katara replied in an equally subdued voice.

Once Aang reached the ring he revealed what he was planning on doing. "Please, I don't really want to fight you; I just want to talk."

"Boo! No talking!" shouted Sokka.

"Don't boo at him," Katara reprimanded, smacking her brother's arm. This was followed by a much harder punch from Zuko who was taking any opportunity that presented itself to hit Sokka.

Aang and the Blind Bandit then commenced in something resembling a fight. Only, it wasn't a proper fight since all Aang did was jump about while trying to start a conversation. It was then ended quickly when Aang used his Airbending to knock the Bandit out of the ring.

After a stunned silence there was a massive round of applause. The Bandit walked away before Aang could convince her to become his teacher. He therefore returned to the ring saddened that he had missed his chance. The others were already there, Iroh rubbing his eyes and wondering what had happened. Sokka took the prizes from the announcer Aang had won for defeating the Bandit, grinning like an idiot all the while. Zuko and Katara were the only ones who noticed Aang's sadness and failure.

As they exited the stadium Zuko put a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder. "We can still find her if you're sure she's the one you want as a teacher."

Aang looked up hopefully. "Really?"

Zuko nodded. A smile spread across Aang's face and he moved closer to Zuko. Zuko moved his hand from Aang's shoulder to around his waist. "We'll start at the Earthbending Academy. If she learnt to Earthbend there they'll know where we can find her."

"Maybe we should do that tomorrow," suggested Iroh. "It is late and we should all get some rest."

The others all looked up at the black sky and agreed with the General. Tomorrow they would find out who the Blind Bandit really was.

* * *

As the sun rose the five travellers returned to the Earthbending Academy. Fortunately (or unfortunately) the only ones about where the two students who Katara had…convinced to reveal the location of Earth Rumble 6. As before, they were unwilling to reveal any information. A few fierce looks from Katara and they were soon a model of co-operation. However, it turned out that even though they were co-operating they weren't being useful.

"We swear we don't know who the Blind Bandit is," one of them said, cowering under Katara's glare.

"Maybe we're asking the wrong question," Aang voiced as he thought about the problem. "I had a vision last night of her and a flying boar. Know anybody like that?"

"The flying boar is the symbol of the Bei Fong family but they don't have a daughter," replied one of the students.

Aang shrugged. "It's worth a try."

They left the Academy and headed to Bei Fong family estate. It was a huge place that gave off an air of wealth and superiority as well as beauty. In some ways it reminded Zuko of the palace back in the Fire Nation. Once again he felt his heart ache for that place he once called home.

They snuck around the back to a large wall that hid the view of the garden beyond. Aang used his Airbending to leap up and over the wall. The others were left to struggle up on their own. Seeing that this was the case Iroh decided it would be best if he stayed behind. The others silently agreed whole-heartedly.

The four rushed across the grass to hide behind a bush. They looked about for any signs of life. Seeing nobody they relaxed slightly. Then they were thrown up into the air by a surge of earth. Landing unceremoniously on the ground they quickly struggled to right themselves. When they looked up they were face to face with the Blind Bandit, only dressed in a more elegant robe.

"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" the Bandit demanded.

Aang used Airbending to get to his feet. "Well a crazy king told me I have to find an Earthbender that listens to the earth and then I had a vision that told me-"

Katara quickly cut him off. "What Aang's trying to say is that he's the Avatar and needs to master Earthbending soon or he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord."

Again Zuko was reminded that that was the Avatar's mission. Being Aang's Firebending teacher meant that he was part of the Resistance, he was opposing his father. If he stayed with Aang and the others it meant that he would eventually have to face his father again in battle. He resisted the urge to touch his scar and pressed down the memories that came with it. It was no good thinking about that right now; such thoughts were best considered when one was alone.

The Bandit stuck her hand in Katara's face. "That's not my problem. Now get out of here before I call the guards."

"Look, we all have to do our part in this war and yours is helping Aang to learn Earthbending," Sokka insisted.

Just then the Bandit cried out for the guards to help her. The four teens quickly made a run for it, jumping over the wall and out of sight just in time. Sure that the guards couldn't hear him, Aang whispered, "Drat."

"Looks like we're moving on to plan B," Zuko observed.

"What's plan B?" questioned Katara.

"Is there even a plan B?" queried Sokka.

Zuko smirked. "When you can't convince someone to join you the next best thing is blackmail."

Aang's face suddenly broke out into a cunning smile. "Zuko, you're a genius!" he cried, jumping up to peck Zuko's cheek.

Whilst Zuko's cheeks darkened Sokka's face twisted to portray a look of disgust. "Must you do that in public?"

Zuko glared at him but Aang was not daunted. "Come on, I have a plan."

The others followed Aang away from the garden. "What plan is this?" Iroh asked as they approached the main gates.

Aang didn't answer as the guards demanded they halt. "What do you want?" one of the guards asked impatiently.

"The Avatar and friends would like to visit Lord Bei Fong," Aang answered calmly.

Whatever the guards had expected him to say, this definitely wasn't it. They shared nervous glances before the guard with the most seniority allowed them to enter. As they walked Zuko leaned down to Aang and whispered, "Good idea."

Aang blushed, a gigantic smile spreading across his face. It was nice to hear Zuko praise him like that. He then stayed that way as they waited for a servant to send word of their arrival. It took quite a while since nobody had expected a visitation and Lord Bei Fong was busy with other things. Eventually they were lead into the dinning room and Aang was able to find out his Earthbending teacher's real name: Toph.

Dinner was an…interesting affair. Toph and Aang fought a silent war under and over the table. Both were covered in their dinner by the end of the night and both were extremely annoyed by the other. It had been very uncomfortable for those having to watch. Zuko in particular had not felt at ease once during the meal. Again the topic of defeating his father had come up. He had quickly lost his appetite. The thought of fighting his father did not sit well with him. It just didn't seem right – he was his father. Zuko had not been able to fight him in their Fire Duel and he didn't think he could fight him now.

Iroh, who had been seated next to Zuko, sensed his nephew's situation. He had long ago broken all ties to his brother after seeing how ruthless he had become. If they were to fight, Iroh believed he would not hold back. He knew that Fire Lord Ozai needed to be defeated if the war was to end. It was not as easy for Zuko to except this. Iroh had hoped that Aang would be able to help his nephew realize that he owed his father nothing. It seemed he was expecting too much too soon. One could not change who they are in the time span of a few days. Iroh could only hope that when it came for Zuko to choose his destiny he would choose to take the right path.

Later that night the gang was gathered in a room and preparing for bed. Aang had just said goodnight to Appa when Toph appeared and asked if they could take a walk. After their secret fight Aang had been anxious about walking alone with her but had rejected Zuko's silent offer to accompany them.

It turned out all Toph was interested in was talking. She explained to Aang all about how Earthbending helped her to see even though she was blind. She explained that her parents thought of her as helpless and she resented it. That was the reason she became the Blind Bandit.

"Why do you stay here if you're not happy?" Aang eventually asked.

"They're my parents, where else am I supposed to go?"

"You could come with us," Aang offered.

Toph thought about it and was about to reply when she felt something amiss. "We're being ambushed," she warned just before a metal case fell down and trapped them.

Aang looked out from the small window with metal bars to see the contestants from Earth Rumble 6. One of them leered at the two prisoners. "You kids owe me some money," he said sinisterly.

"No we don't," Aang said quickly, confused.

"Let us go!" Toph demanded fiercely.

The man shook his head, a grim smile on his face. "You'll learn not to steal from Xin Fu," he said before the two were dragged away back to Earth Rumble 6.

* * *

When Aang and Toph did not return the others became worried. At first they thought that they had merely lost track of time but their hopes were dashed when they found Toph's parents and discovered that they hadn't seen Toph since earlier that evening. Their search for the missing teens led them into the garden where they discovered two strange imprints in the ground. Along with the imprints was a note held down by a sword. Sokka picked up the note and offered it to Katara. "If you want to see your daughter again, bring 500 gold pieces to the arena. It's signed Xin Fu and the Boulder."

Zuko's fists clenched in anger. Aang had been kidnapped? Someone had taken _his_ Avatar? Aang was his and his alone! Zuko allowed his fury to rage inside of him and mask the dread he felt in the pit if his stomach. He didn't give his fury too much free reign though – he didn't want to set something on fire and reveal that he was more than an Earth Kingdom peasant.

Zuko turned quickly on his heel and stormed back towards the house. Iroh noticed his nephew leaving and shouted, "Zuko, where are you going?"

"To get them back," was enough of a reply to get everyone to follow him to Earth Rumble 6.

When they arrived there seemed to be nobody about. But, as they walked through the cold, empty passages they heard voices and followed them to the main arena. The sight that greeted them as they walked out into the light was of Toph and Aang imprisoned in metal cages suspended from the ceiling. The fighters standing beneath them turned around as the group marched into the ring.

"Here's your money. Now let them go," Sokka said as he kicked the sack of gold over to Xin Fu.

Xin Fu opened the bag, examining the contents. He nodded to someone out of sight and Toph's cage was slowly lowered. As soon as the exit at the bottom was open she rushed over to her father. The gang waited for the second cage to be opened but it wasn't.

"What about Aang?" Katara asked, looking worriedly at the still imprisoned Avatar.

"I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty sum for the Avatar," Xin Fu said with a sadistic grin. "Now get out of my ring!"

When nobody moved the fighters from the Tournament made their presence known. Eyes darted between the fighters and Aang uncertainly. Aang tried to smile as he told the others to leave without him. While Katara and Sokka backed away, Zuko remained exactly where he was. "If you think I'm leaving without you, you're sorely mistaken," Zuko informed Aang.

Aang didn't know whether to feel flattered, angry or exasperated. On the one hand, Zuko was being stupid thinking he could take all of them. On the other hand it was kind of nice knowing that your boyfriend was willing to get himself all beaten up to save you.

"Zuko, there's too many; you can't beat them all," Katara tried to reason.

"I never said I was going to beat them," Zuko informed her calmly. "I'm just buying some time so you can convince Toph to get her revenge."

Katara opened her mouth to argue but closed it again swiftly. It was a good idea. Katara grabbed Sokka's arm and dragged him towards the passage. Iroh remained where he was, watching Zuko carefully. "You know if you fight them you reveal you're a firebender don't you?"

"If those two are quick enough then I won't need to fight," Zuko replied quietly.

Xin Fu got their attention by shouting, "Get out of my ring right now before I make you!"

Zuko turned his intimidating gaze upon the man and his accomplices. Some of the smart ones inched back but the stupid ones (which was most of the group) were unaffected. Even as Zuko tried to glare them into submission they did not bat an eyelid. If they'd had enough brain cells to realize what Zuko had in store for them, they would have turned tail and ran. As it was, they merely became impatient and it seemed Zuko would need to do more to keep them from leaving.

Thankfully, just as Zuko was about to approach for some close-quarters fighting, Toph stepped into the ring. "You guys better let Aang go right now. I've beaten you before and I can do it again." Toph then turned towards Zuko. "I can take them without your help," she declared.

Zuko nodded and circled around to Aang's cage. The Earthbenders would have tried to stop him if they hadn't been more concerned with trying to break Toph into a million pieces. Luckily Toph was more than a match for any of them. This let Sokka, Katara and Iroh help Zuko to free Aang.

"How are we going to get him down from there?" Sokka asked the question everyone was thinking.

"Is anybody else looking this way?" queried Zuko.

Sokka looked around. Toph was busy fighting the Earthbenders and her father was busy watching her. "No. Why?"

Zuko smirked and sent a jet of flames towards the chain suspending Aang from the ceiling. After a moment the links in the chain began to melt under the intense heat. Zuko stood back and watched as the chain links buckled under the weight. Aang's cage came crashing to the floor.

The whole 'plummeting to the ground at excessive speed' experience was not one Aang would have liked to repeat. He made this very clear to all present. "You could've been a little _gentler_ you know," he said irritably.

Zuko ignored him and moved to the lock at the bottom of the cage. He placed a red-hot palm over the lock which also began to glow red as well as melt. Zuko then stood up and brought the heel of his boot down over the lock, effectively breaking it. Aang immediately climbed out of the cage, looking around to see how Toph was doing. He smiled as he saw her kick the last one into a wall.

Aang was startled when he felt a hand rest firmly on his shoulder. He looked up and was met with a pair of probing amber eyes. "Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?"

Aang felt himself smile at the concern hidden under Zuko's gruff manner. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine!"

Zuko nodded, his hand remaining on Aang's shoulder. Iroh chuckled as he watched the pair. "Perhaps we should go congratulate young Toph on her victory," he suggested lightly.

The rest of the gang nodded and slowly walked over to where Toph was waiting for them, proud and victorious.

* * *

Later, when they had all returned to Toph's home, Toph explained to her parents why she had led a secret life as the Blind Bandit. She also asked if she could leave home to teach Aang Earthbending. Her parents adamantly refused and the others had no choice but to leave.

"You really wanted her to be your teacher didn't you," Zuko said to Aang while Sokka and Katara readied Appa to leave in the background.

"Yeah," Aang said quietly, his disappointment clearly expressed by his body language.

"There are other great Earthbenders out there."

"But none like her."

Zuko put his arm comfortingly around Aang's shoulders. They stayed that way until they heard someone running towards them. Turning, they saw Toph approaching. A surprised smile spread across Aang's face. "Toph! What are you doing here?"

"My dad changed his mind. He said I was free to travel the world," Toph replied, smiling too.

"That's great! Toph, you're going to be a great teacher," Aang said, slowly walking towards her.

"I know," she said proudly before her voice took on a sly tone. "By the way, I have something to show you."

"What is it?"

Before Aang knew what hit him he was hurled up into the air by a sneak attack from Toph. He landed upside down, in a tree, wearing a look of astonishment. Toph, looking self-satisfied, then said, "Now we're even."

The smugness soon disappeared off the girl's face as Zuko towered over her. If she hadn't been blind Toph would have seen the look of intense fury on his face. "Do that again and you'll be sorry," he threatened.

"What you going to do, hit a blind girl?" Toph baited confidently.

"I'll do much worse than that," Zuko said lowly.

Sensing the impending danger Aang quickly untangled himself from the tree. "Zuko, it's alright; just calm down."

Zuko spun round, pinning Aang with his glare. Aang suddenly wished he was blind and didn't have to experience the chill he felt when the glare was turned on him. Still, he tried to pretend he was not affected.

Zuko, deciding he'd had enough of the subject, strode over to Appa to prepare for the imminent journey. Aang let out a sigh of relief. It seemed his job as peacekeeper had just become a lot more difficult.

As soon as everyone was ready Appa took off. It was serene flying through the night sky. The night's worries and anxieties seemed to drop away as they flew further and further away from Toph's home town. Aang approached Zuko who was wearing a mask of nonchalance. He sat next to him silently, wondering if he was still mad. The fact that Zuko didn't acknowledge him probably meant that he was.

"One more person to not get along with," Aang said with a quiet sigh.

Zuko continued staring at the stars for awhile. "Where are we heading?" he eventually asked softly.

Aang cocked his head to the side in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"What's our destination? What place are we going to? What is the next plan of action?"

Aang shrugged. "I don't know. I was thinking we find a place with lots of rocks so I can start learning Earthbending."

"How can you just drift without setting a course or making a basic plan?"

"Because I know that sometimes when you have your sights so set on something you miss the important things that are going on around you," Aang replied, looking intently at Zuko's expression. "For example: if I'd been so focused on impressing Katara I'd still be pinning for her and you'd still be a cat."

Zuko considered this. "I see your point." The next thing Aang knew Zuko was kissing him with a gentle passion. When they broke apart Zuko added, "It's a good job you're an air-head with no focus."

It took Aang a moment to realize he was being insulted. "Hey!"

Zuko just smirked and wrapped an arm around Aang's waist. Aang smiled and leaned into the embrace. Together they stared at the stars, forgetting the destination and just concentrating on the journey.

* * *

Hehe, I've turned Katara into a Yaoi fangirl.

So, what do you think? Have I got them all in character? Is the amount of romance between Zuko and Aang alright? Please review and share your comments with me before I die from writing the longest chapter ever! Even if you don't think this is long it's long for me. Hopefully the next one will be shorter.


	2. Chapter 2

I'd like to offer a mega thank you to all of you who took the time to read and review my story last chapter and sincerely hope you will do the same again. Don't be afraid to tell me if there's a little out-of-characterness this chapter or if i get a little too dramatic. I don't think this chapter is my best work but there you go - i had writer's block. Don't let that put you off though; next chapter Toph finds out the reason why Aang and Zuko are always sitting next to each other _-winkwink-_.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"Don't you think this looks like a great place to learn Earthbending?" Aang said as he admired the valley around him.

"There's definitely plenty of rock for you to chuck around," Sokka admitted as he too looked at the landscape that was nothing _but_ rocks.

For the last few days they had been searching for a place Toph could teach Aang Earthbending. Toph had insisted that they get far away from her home town before stopping. Then, since it was spring, Appa had started shedding his coat. It was a natural occurrence and Aang had thought nothing of it until Zuko and Iroh had voiced their concerns. Having much experience in tracking people (mainly Aang) they both said that the trail of fur Appa left when they flew would lead any enemy straight to them. Before their search for a training ground could continue Appa had to be washed in the river. Everyone except Zuko and Toph had joined in with the washing. Toph had the excuse that she was blind when not on land; Zuko just didn't want to get wet. He did though, once Toph pushed him into the river. Zuko hadn't liked that one bit and it didn't help that the others were laughing at him. It had taken Iroh awhile to convince him not to hurt the poor blind girl.

"Alright, enough chitchat. It's time to get to work," Toph said as she strode forward.

"Great! What move are you going to teach me first? Rockalanche? The Trembler?" Aang asked excitedly.

"Let's just start by moving a rock," Toph said before locating said rock to practice on. "The key to Earthbending is your stance. You have to be solid and stable, like a rock, if you want to move a rock."

Toph showed Aang her stance. She then used her Earthbending abilities to send the chosen boulder flying. Aang copied the stance, a look of determination on his face. He copied the move Toph had made but the result was not the same. Instead of the rock moving it was Aang that was thrown backwards. Luckily for him Appa provided a soft landing. The sound of amused chuckling made Aang look up. His eyes narrowed when he saw Zuko seated on a rock shelf with Iroh, an amused smile curling his lips.

"What are you laughing at Zuko?" Aang demanded.

Zuko just shook his head, the annoying smile still lingering on his lips. Aang got up and brushed himself off before storming over to the unmovable boulder. How dare Zuko laugh at him? Whose side did he think he was on? Aang would show him that he didn't like being mocked.

Aang tried again to move the boulder. It didn't work. He tried again. Still didn't work. After the fifth attempt Toph stepped in to stop Aang embarrassing himself. "That's enough Twinkletoes. Looks like you're going to need training first." Toph used her Earthbending to pull large rocks out of the ground. She placed them on Aang's back before shouting, "Now start walking! Knees high Twinkletoes!"

While Aang was being tortured-I mean trained, Katara took it upon herself to organize the chores and running of camp. She'd already told Sokka to go find something for dinner; now it was time to get Zuko to help. It was easier said than done. Zuko had been reluctant to lower himself to helping with such menial chores as collecting firewood. He had helped though, after Aang had badgered him about it. Unfortunately, Aang was currently occupied and Katara couldn't see Zuko giving in without a fight. In would be a pain getting him to cooperate but there was no way she was going to let him get out of not doing his bit.

Katara approached Zuko with a smile. "Zuko, would you mind helping me unload Appa?"

"I'm busy," was the gruff reply.

"Doing what?"

"Watching Aang."

Katara nodded. "Well I'm sure Aang's still going to be there when you get back so why not give me a hand?"

"No thanks."

Katara's patience was wearing thin. "Look, we all have to do our bit otherwise nothing would ever get done. Unloading bags isn't that hard."

"In that case why can't you do it yourself?"

Katara's patience had flown out the window. "Look here Zuko - I am not your maid! I already do all the cooking and cleaning; I am not about to move your junk around as well! You better start pulling your weight around here or you can make your own meals!"

"It's alright, I'll go unload the bison," Iroh said hastily, trying to defuse the situation.

"No Iroh," Katara said, her arm flying out to tell the elder to remain seated. "You're not the one who's being a pain. Zuko's the one who needs to start working and stop acting like we're his servants."

Iroh watched wearily as Zuko and Katara participated in an intense glaring contest. It was hard to know what to do in these situations – neither teen was about to bend to the other's will. So, Iroh did what he was best at. He made tea. "Come now you two. I know we're all still not use to being in each other's company and being chased by three deadly young ladies does nothing for one's temperament. I suggest we drink a nice cup of tea and calm down."

"I don't like tea," Zuko said through gritted teeth as he continued his glaring match while Iroh dragged him towards the camp fire.

"Zuko, you will drink your tea," Iroh said sternly and for once Zuko didn't argue.

A few hours later Toph and Aang came back to camp. Aang immediately collapsed and groaned loudly.

"You baby; that was just the warm up," Toph said non-too sympathetically.

Aang groaned again. Iroh smiled understandingly. "Here Avatar, a nice cup of tea will make you feel better."

Aang wearily forced himself to sit up and accept Iroh's tea. With one hand he dribbled the tea down his throat while the other massaged his sore muscles. Katara noticed Aang's plight almost immediately. "Here Aang, let me help you."

Katara moved behind her young friend and began to rub the tension out of his shoulders. Aang instantly relaxed, a soft moan passing his lips as Katara's skilled hands turned his muscles to jelly. "Katara, that feels so good."

Iroh watched the exchange then hesitantly turned towards his nephew. A glare full of malice was aimed straight at Katara. Zuko's grip on his tea cup tightened so much that Iroh feared he would be buying a new tea set very soon. It was a good job the cup was made of strong pot otherwise it would have disintegrated long ago from the heat that was no doubt radiating from Zuko's palms.

Iroh was suddenly struck by an idea. He carefully removed the cup from between Zuko's cupped hands and inserted the tea pot. Nobody noticed the trick, not even Zuko. All Iroh had to do was sit back and wait until the thin tendril of steam escaped from the pots stout. After all, why should he waste his energy boiling tea when he could have his nephew's anger do it for him?

The tea break ended and Toph dragged Aang away to practice. Katara set to work preparing dinner with Iroh. Zuko stomped off, saying that he was going to find firewood. Just because he was a firebender didn't mean that firewood wasn't needed. The fire needed something to fuel it or it would go out so firewood was still one of the essential chores that needed to be performed. Zuko didn't see it like that though. He saw it as an excuse to get away from the others. He was still fuming over Katara's actions earlier. He was the only one supposed to be able to sit that close to Aang. He alone was allowed to touch Aang like that. Zuko let his frustration out on the nearest tree. He regretted it afterwards when he had to pull splinters out of his knuckles.

Zuko sighed and leaned back against the tree he had been previously abusing. This was all so strange, so new. His feelings were a mess and having hormones never helped. He desperately wanted to hold Aang and never let him go. He wanted Aang to be his alone, for nobody else to dare to claim that the Avatar belonged to them. Zuko wanted power, control, to the point where sometimes it scared him. His jealousy of Katara had been all-consuming. He hadn't lashed out but he had felt his hatred for her burn with an intensity that his Firebending couldn't produce. What would have happened if he'd lost control?

It was a fear that every firebender had deep down. To lose control for a second – a split second – was all the time fire needed to escape and destroy everything a person holds dear. Zuko had access to amazing but destructive power. If he had lost control…he didn't want to think about it. He could have hurt Aang; burned him, scared him. He could have given him a scar to match his own.

Zuko reached up to touch his scar. It was a constant reminder of his shame. It was a constant reminder of his pain. He couldn't inflict that pain on anyone, especially not Aang. Aang was special; he was the most special person in the whole world. Zuko couldn't hurt him like that, not ever.

In that moment Zuko let down his defences. The tears slipped silently from his good eye as he thought of what he could have done, of what he was. He was a monster.

* * *

"Have you seen Zuko?"

Aang raised his head at Iroh's question. It had been a long day and Aang had not noticed that Zuko wasn't sat there with them around the fire. Who could blame him though? He was sore and tired from carrying rocks, standing in an awkward stance for ages and generally having to deal with Toph. The girl may be blind but she knew how to run someone ragged; mentally and physically.

"I'm sure he just bumped into Sokka and the two started fighting – again," Katara reasoned, even though she was secretly concerned that neither males had shown up. It was very unlikely that Sokka would chose to miss dinner.

"Perhaps," Iroh acknowledged. "But would their fight have lasted for over two hours?"

Katara and Iroh shared a worried look. "It _is_ nearly sunset," Katara conceded.

"If you're so worried about them then go and look!" Toph said since they were just beating about the bush.

"Go look for who?"

Everyone turned around to see Sokka approaching. Katara stood up, annoyed with herself for getting worried like that. She was also mad at Sokka for worrying her. "Where have you been? It's sunset already!"

"Calm down Katara; I've not been gone that long."

"Have you seen Zuko?" Iroh cut in.

"No. Why?"

Iroh's concerned frown deepened. "I am going to look for my nephew."

"Do you want me to go with you?" asked Aang.

"No, you stay here and rest," Iroh said as he climbed slowly to his feet.

Aang nodded, relieved that he didn't have to move. He watched silently as Iroh took the path Zuko had taken earlier into the thick foliage. He let loose a weary yawn before letting his mind wander wherever it may.

Meanwhile, Iroh walked warily through the woods, eyes trained for any sign of his nephew. Eventually, he spotted him on the ground, leaning back against a tree with his head bent towards the earth. Iroh approached cautiously so as to not surprise his nephew. "Zuko?"

Zuko looked up at the old general slowly. His expression and posture were that of a man without hope. His eyes were not full of life as they had been recently. Zuko's whole demeanour made Iroh worry.

"Zuko, are you alright?"

"Yes," Zuko replied shortly.

"It's nearly sunset, I was wondering where you had gotten to."

"I was just thinking," Zuko said, his gaze turning to his knees.

"About what?"

"Nothing; it doesn't matter."

Iroh kneeled down next to his nephew and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Zuko, you know that if something is bothering you, you can always talk to me, right? Whatever it is, you can talk to me. There is no need to suffer in silence."

Zuko contemplated this for a moment. "Thank you Uncle."

Zuko attempted a smile and Iroh grinned right back. "Well, now that that's sorted, we better be heading back if we don't want the others to eat all the food."

Iroh made to get up when Zuko spoke hesitantly. "Uncle, have you ever felt…have you ever been worried that you might lose control and hurt someone?"

Iroh slowly sat back down again. "Yes, I have. All great firebenders worry about losing control. Fire is not like the other elements – it is alive. That is why discipline is taught before you actually start controlling fire. If you are reckless when Firebending there can be disastrous consequences.

"When Lu Ten was a boy we played war together. At first it was just imaginary fire blasts we threw at each other but as he got older it developed into something more. It was then that I started wondering how much control I really had. Lu Ten was just a boy and could be so easily injured. I could counter whatever he threw at me but what if I misjudged his strength? What if I thought he was at a higher level than he actually was and used too powerful a fire blast for him to block? In the end we had to stop playing those games because I was scared of losing control and hurting him."

Iroh paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. "We can stop doing things where there is a high risk of someone being hurt but we can not stop living. There is always the chance that one day we will lose control and that is why we do as much as we can to stop it from happening. We practice control over ourselves and our bending. That is all that we can do."

Iroh placed a steady hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Do not worry about losing control. If it is a worry that stops you living your life then it is best not to think about such things. You are much better now at controlling your temper; Aang has a good effect on you – do not try to push him away."

Zuko lip twitched up into a small smile. "It's creepy when you read my mind like that."

Iroh laughed heartily. "I know you too well my nephew. Now, stop moping and come get some dinner. If we don't hurry the others will come looking and Katara will give us both an earful."

Zuko nodded and got to his feet, holding out his hand to help his uncle up. "Thank you Uncle," he said again, his gaze not meeting the other's.

Iroh merely smiled like a proud father and led the way back to camp for a hearty supper.

* * *

For Aang the next day was just as hard as the one before. He was still having a block when it came to Earthbending. Sometimes, he would seem to be making progress and would gain a pleased nod from Toph. Mostly, though, he would fail the tasks she set. This did nothing for his confidence and the block remained firmly in place.

Katara had tried her best to reassure Aang that there was nothing wrong with him; he shouldn't expect to be able to get it straight away. Iroh had given similar encouragement, reminding him that it had taken past Avatars years to grasp Earthbending. To be able to master your opposite element in one day was not a feat that was expected of him.

Aang was grateful for the support his friends were giving him. Their kind words motivated him to have one more attempt, one last go at proving he could Earthbend. He still wasn't able to do it though, much to Toph's disappointment. She would shout at him and tell him how much of a failure he was before storming off and leaving him truly disheartened.

On the eve of Aang's second day of training he decided he needed some time to himself. He walked away from camp to a spot up on one of the nearby cliffs that would provide a beautiful view of the sunset. When Aang reached the top he was surprised to find that the spot was already taken. Zuko was sitting with his back to him, staring out at the landscape sprawled out beneath him, obviously deep in thought.

A thought occurred to Aang as he watched the firebender – he hadn't spoken to Zuko all day. In fact, he couldn't quite recall saying anything to him since yesterday morning. Aang wondered how it was possible to not talk to someone when they are practically living right beside you. The answer was that he had been tired and not in the mood for conversation or communication of any sort.

That couldn't have been the only reason though. Zuko wasn't the sort of person who allowed people to ignore him. He too must have been feeling unsociable if he'd allowed Aang to get away with not talking to him. This thought prompted memories of the day before: Zuko returning with Iroh and avoiding Katara's questions with a bowed head and then choosing to not curl up with Aang at night. Aang had been too tired to notice or care before but now…

Aang walked forward and took a seat next to Zuko. The firebender cast a glance his way before returning his gaze to the setting sun. Aang looked down at his knees, feeling guilty for ignoring Zuko as well as worried for him.

"How is your Earthbending coming along?"

"I've still got a block," Aang said as he traced patterns in the dirt with his finger.

"You'll get over it soon enough," Zuko said without shifting his gaze from the horizon.

"Everyone keeps saying that but I'm not! I know it's supposed to be hard but I'm the Avatar! I need to master all the elements by the end of the summer but I'm nowhere near ready! I need to master Earthbending now!"

Zuko's lip twisted up into what resembled a smile.

"What?" Aang asked grumpily, not liking the idea that Zuko was mocking him.

"I think I once said something similar to Uncle Iroh. I wanted to learn advanced Firebending but he was reluctant to teach me because I hadn't mastered the basics. I demonstrated how much I wanted him to teach me and he gave in."

Aang stared silently at Zuko for awhile. "What's wrong? You sound sad."

"It's nothing," Zuko denied.

"Look me in the face and tell me it's nothing," Aang challenged.

"It's not something I want to discuss; I can work things out without your help you know," Zuko said with a bitter edge to his voice.

At first Aang was hurt but then his stubbornness flared up. His fuse had been cut short from a hard day at Earthbending boot camp and was not in the mood for any of this. "Fine, if you don't want me here I'll leave."

He stood up to go but was stopped when Zuko grabbed his wrist. "I never said I wanted you to go."

Aang puffed out his cheeks. "Well, I want to go since you obviously want to be on your own and I'd hate to not give you what you want."

Zuko frowned, readying himself to give Aang a verbal lashing. He didn't though. Instead the frown disappeared and was replaced by an emotion Aang couldn't name. "Are you saying that if I kissed you you'd get mad?"

Aang didn't know where this was leading but replied, "Yes," with just a hint of hesitancy in his voice.

Aang immediately found himself jerked down into Zuko's arms. The older boy had him in a tight embrace and was heatedly assaulting his lips. Once Aang had gotten over his surprise he was all for melting in Zuko's arms until he remembered that he was annoyed with him. He struggled about, trying to get free. Zuko was having trouble holding onto him so he pushed Aang onto his back and straddled his waist. Aang fought furiously against Zuko who was trying to push past Aang's sealed lips.

With a burst of strength Aang was able to turn the tables and gain dominance. His original plan of escaping and storming off had by that point flown out the window. He had gotten caught up in the moment and was now taking advantage of his position to slide his own tongue into Zuko's mouth. It was refreshing to be the dominant one for once.

Zuko let out a deep groan as their tongues slid over each other. His hand moved to Aang's neck, pulling the Airbender closer. It all felt so amazing. Not just the kiss and the feel of their bodies pressed together but also the loss of concentration. He didn't need to strain to make sure he was in control, to make sure he wouldn't hurt Aang. He didn't need to fear because it was the Avatar that was in control. He could relax and enjoy the pure pleasure Aang was bestowing upon him.

Before Aang knew what had happened Zuko had flipped him over and ended the kiss. The older male hovered above him, his hot breath brushing against Aang's face. Aang looked up into half lidded eyes and saw the love and lust burning within. It made him want to reach up and pull Zuko down for another kiss. Unfortunately Zuko was talking and Aang was obliged to listen.

"Even if you never master Earthbending I think you'll make a great firebender," Zuko whispered huskily. "You will get Earthbending though. If you can dominate me you can dominate some stupid rock."

Aang smiled, his cheeks colouring at the compliment. "I think perhaps we should go back and test out your theory."

Zuko nodded and stood up, helping Aang go get to his feet. The Avatar looked down shyly and thanked Zuko for helping him. The young prince loosely wrapped his arms around Aang's waist in response and placed a kiss on his forehead. Zuko smiled, inwardly thinking that he should be the one doing the thanking. Aang had shown him that he was strong and, if Zuko did lose control, then he would be able to handle it. Aang wasn't as fragile as he looked – Zuko didn't need to worry about hurting him because it was obvious now that Aang could take whatever was thrown at him.

When they got back to camp Aang went over to Toph and asked for another opportunity to try and move a rock. Toph cocked her head to the side as she regarded him. "What makes you think you can do it this time when you couldn't before?"

Aang didn't answer because he didn't know what to say. He didn't know why but Zuko had imbued him with confidence in his own abilities that he hadn't had before. Toph noticed this in his stance – he was holding himself more confidently. She decided that maybe this time he had the attitude to accomplish his task. "Alright Twinkletoes, show me what you've got."

Aang grinned and rushed over towards one of the practice boulders. He got into his stance and readied himself. He took one deep breath then (as he exhaled) his arm extended towards the boulder and the boulder went flying.

Aang stared in amazement, not daring to believe that he had actually done it. He was even more surprised to turn around and find Top clapping slowly. Her applause was joined by others, everyone who had seen him was praising him, even Momo was trying to clap. What filled Aang with the most joy though was the sight of Zuko's proud smile. That smile made Aang's insides melt and his cheeks burn. He was going to have to tell Zuko that he was going to be on top more often if this was the kind of results it produced. Somehow he didn't think the firebender would be too pleased by this. Oh well, he'd just have to fight Aang for dominance then wouldn't he.

* * *

Please Review! 


	3. Chapter 3

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews, I really do appreciate them. And now, I am giving you the readers the chance to influence this fic. I want to know what side pairings I should add in, if any. In this chapter I have suggested one possible pairing but if nobody likes it I'll abandon that idea. These pairings won't dominate the fic but they will add spice and stop the supporting characters being totally ignored. Give me your suggestions and I will see what I can do with them.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Zuko groaned as the two shrill, insistent, voices started up again. It was too early in the morning for these arguments. He pulled Aang closer to him and mumbled in his ear, "Why do they have to do this first thing on a morning?"

Aang, who was a light sleeper, replied, "I don't know; I'm not a mind reader."

For the past few days Toph and Katara had been at each other's throats. It was the simplest things that set off these arguments. Toph would not be doing anything while the others worked so Katara would go over and give her a lecture on pulling her weight and then Toph would go on about how she was self-sufficient and then there would be lots of shouting. Nobody liked this, especially Aang since Toph would later take out her fury on him by being extra mean during his training.

"Toph, you are the most insensitive, unfeminine-"

"Shut up Sugar Queen! You wouldn't know what sensitivity was if it went and bit you in the backside!"

"Would you two be quiet? Some of us are trying to sleep!"

"Shut up Sokka!"

Zuko groaned again as Aang wriggled out of his grasp. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To get breakfast; I don't want Toph to drag me away before I've eaten like yesterday."

Zuko yawned as he sat up, rubbing at his eyes with his fist. "I hate mornings," he muttered as he walked over to where Iroh had boiled some tea.

Iroh smiled as the two sat down next to him. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"We did until we got our wake-up call," Aang said as he took the offered tea.

Iroh looked over worriedly at the two girls. "I feel like I should intervene but I am also very attached to my limbs."

"They'll stop eventually," Aang said in what he hoped was a confident tone.

Just then Toph brought down her foot making the earth tremble. "That is it! I've had enough of you and your complaining; I'm leaving!"

"What?!" Aang cried, leaping to his feet. "Toph you can't go – you've not finished teaching me Earthbending!"

"I don't care! I've had enough of her Sweetness and nothing you say or do can stop me leaving." To prove her point she brought her foot down again so that Aang fell over backwards. She then stormed off into the forest, not once looking back.

Aang stared in horror as she disappeared from view. "I can't believe this; she's gone!"

Katara turned to Aang, suddenly realizing what she'd done. "Aang I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

Aang sighed. "No it isn't."

"Actually it kind of is." Aang glared at Zuko while he sipped his tea nonchalantly. Zuko glared right back. "What? She was the one who made her feel uncomfortable."

Iroh put down his cup and slowly got to his feet. "I will go talk to her. I'm sure once she's cooled down she will see sense."

Aang studied his tea as Iroh walked further away. "So what am I supposed to do today if I'm not learning Earthbending?"

"I'll start your Firebending instruction if you like," Zuko said evenly.

Aang smiled widely. "That would be great!" He then stopped to consider this. "Wait, we're not going to stand around breathing all day are we?"

"At first, yes."

Aang groaned. "Great, I can hardly wait."

"Sarcasm will get you nowhere."

"But it gets Sokka everywhere."

Sokka sat up, still in his sleeping bag. "Ha-ha, that was truly hilarious Aang."

"I know." Aang and Zuko shared a secret smirk before finishing their tea.

* * *

It didn't take Iroh long to find Toph. She was sat on a rock brooding with her back to him. She knew he was coming though. "There's no way you can convince me to go back." 

"I know that," Iroh said placidly. "I was just wondering if you wished to talk about your problems."

"I'm not the one with the problem – she is!"

Iroh sighed wearily. "May I sit down?"

"If you must."

Iroh positioned himself opposite Toph. The girl looked grumpy and not the least bit in the mood to discuss her problems. "Am I correct in thinking that this is the first time you've been around a bunch of people entirely your own age?" Iroh took her silence as an affirmative. "If that is the case then it is only right that there should be some conflict. To be in any situation for the first time is difficult and it takes a lot of practice to get along with people."

"Are you saying that this is my fault?" Toph asked indignantly.

Iroh quickly held up his hands defensively. "No, no, that isn't what I'm trying to say! What I'm trying to say is that living in such close contact with people can be difficult at first. My nephew and I are almost as new to the group as you. As you may have noticed this can cause conflict. You are not the only one who has not gotten on well with Katara."

Toph laughed. "Oh yeah, I forgot about the time Angry Boy got really annoyed with her and they started fighting."

Iroh tried very hard not to laugh. "I'm sure my nephew would very much appreciate the nickname you've given him."

Toph grinned. "You think so? I've not had a chance to try it out on him yet."

"It is probably for the best," Iroh said before realizing they had gone off topic. "Anyway, I hope you see now that squabbles happen all the time when you are new in the group and you shouldn't take offence."

"But it seems like Katara is always gripping on at me."

"Perhaps that is true, but have you ever wondered that she might have a point. Please don't be offended by what I say but don't you think you could do more to help?"

"I look after myself – nobody else has to - so what's the problem?"

"The problem is that that's not how things work in a family. It would be fine if everyone took care of themselves but a lot of the time they can't. Some will have a greater skill than others in one area than in others so a group uses that skill to benefit the rest. Since that skill is benefiting the group that person technically doesn't need to do anything else to contribute. However, if someone in that group is struggling with something that person should want to help them because they care about that person and want to make them happy. That is what a family does and I do believe that the only reason Katara nags you is because she wants you to take a bigger part in our little family. You might want to be independent but there is nothing wrong with letting the ones who love you help you."

Top sat quietly for a moment, brooding over Iroh's words. "Do you really think we're a family?"

Iroh smiled gently. "In time I do believe we could be."

* * *

Zuko led Aang away from camp to a place that was clear of obstacles and (most importantly) quiet. They sat down opposite each other and got into their meditating positions. "Remember to take deep, even breaths," Zuko said quietly. "Clear your mind and concentrate on your breathing. Forget all the distractions around you." 

Aang did as he was commanded. He concentrated on his breathing and his focus. For a long time he was able to retain his focus. Unfortunately, Aang then got bored and his focus flew out the window. He started fidgeting ever so slightly. His mind started drifting to other things like Zuko's breathing. It was a steady rhythm of inhale and exhale. At first it became his new focus. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, he began to imagine the rest of Zuko. It was a clear picture in Aang's mind. The strong jaw; the powerful torso; the scar that accentuated the angles of his face; the smooth hands and soft lips that drove him wild.

Aang blushed deeply as he imagined what those fine features could do. Zuko had him pressed close to that strong chest, his hand tilting Aang's face the right way so that their lips could meet in a kiss of blissful passion…

"You're not concentrating!"

The abrupt shout broke Aang out of his fantasy. When his eyes opened he saw Zuko glaring at him. The only defence Aang's dazed mind could come up with at that moment was, "How can I concentrate when you're sat there tempting me like that?"

Aang realized his mistake when Zuko's eyes widened, a soft blush spread across his cheeks. Aang tried to stutter an apology but was stopped when Zuko raised his hand. "Forget it," he said before leaning in closer to Aang.

Aang smiled shyly when he saw that the meditation was being postponed. "Okay," he said before accepting the kiss he'd dreamed of.

* * *

"So what's the deal with Angry Boy and Twinkletoes?" 

Iroh frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

"Angry Boy seems to be nicer to him than anyone else and they're always sitting really close together or sleeping next to each other. You said you were new to the group so what's the deal? Do they know each other from before or something?"

"Ah," Iroh said uncomfortably. "Katara didn't tell you about them?" Toph shook her head. Iroh scratched the back of his, not feeling one hundred percent alright with explaining this to such an impressionable youth. "Well, you know how men and women fall in love and get married?" A nod. "Well the same thing can happen to two women or two men; they can fall in love with someone of the same gender and want to spend their lives together – much like your parents I assume."

"Wait a minute, you're telling me those two are…"

"You are correct, they are indeed a couple."

Toph stared at Iroh in open-mouthed shock for some time. Eventually she recovered and said, "Well that definitely explains a lot."

Iroh nodded then looked up at the almost fully risen sun. "If you have no more questions perhaps we should go back. I'm sure Katara will have had time to think over what she has done as well. Would you be willing to accept her apology?"

"I guess," Toph said as she pushed herself off the boulder.

Iroh smiled as they silently walked back in the direction of camp. On the way they heard something and decided to take a minor detour to find out what it was. When they found out they wished they hadn't. Zuko had Aang pinned to the floor and was suckling on the young Avatar's neck while his hand made its way under Aang's shirt. Aang's eyes were closed in bliss, short moans and whispers of Zuko's name passing his parted lips.

"I don't think my parents ever did that."

The short sentence ended the pleasure of the two lovers. Both heads snapped round and cheeks became an even darker red than before. "Uncle," Zuko managed to choke out. "What are you…?"

"We didn't see anything," Iroh said quickly. He grabbed hold of Toph's shoulder and steered her away from the embarrassing scene, wishing he himself was blind. Iroh may not be prejudiced but he preferred to not have to think about the things his nephew was doing with the Avatar.

Once they were gone there was a very awkward silence. "The moment's been ruined hasn't it?" Aang stated more than asked.

Zuko sighed as he moved away from Aang. "It has," he answered.

Again, there was an awkward silence. "Will you teach me to shoot fireballs out of my hands now?"

"No."

"Aww, come on Zuko," Aang whined pathetically.

"Not until you've learned to control yourself and your bending." Aang crossed his arms and huffed like a child that hadn't gotten their way. Zuko found such a pose adorable and couldn't help smiling. "Just because you're the Avatar doesn't mean you get to cut corners. It was months before my Firebending teachers even considered allowing me to handle any sort of flame. However, since you have to master all the elements in a short period of time we'll start handling fire a lot earlier than that."

Aang gave him a sideways glance. "Promise?"

"Promise," Zuko said before sealing it with a kiss.

Aang smiled and moved back for another kiss. Zuko's hand cupped the boy's cheek as he kept the kiss slow and tender. Aang's eyes were half-lidded as their lips hovered close together, both undecided as to whether to leave it there or continue.

"Perhaps we could do a little work with fire now," Zuko muttered as his golden eyes connected with Aang's silver ones.

Aang leaned forward and pecked Zuko's lips. "Love you."

"I know."

They shared one last kiss before getting up to resume Aang's Firebending training.

* * *

"And when we walked past they were on the floor kissing!" 

Zuko and Aang froze when they heard Toph's statement. She was sat next to Katara, telling her all about what she hadn't seen them doing. The two had obviously called a truce and had now engaged in one of a girl's favourite pastimes - gossiping.

"Do you know what kind of kiss it was?" Katara probed eagerly.

"No, my Earthbending couldn't tell me that – but I do know that Aang was enjoying it, weren't you Aang?" Toph said, turning around with a wide smile that verged on being considered creepy.

Katara suddenly blushed like the kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. She didn't mind talking about such things when they weren't there but when they were she felt unwilling to humiliate her friends like that. "Oh, hey, I didn't see you there."

She got no reply since both boys were wishing the ground would swallow them up already. Zuko was also wishing that something heavy would fall on Toph, but that's not important right now.

"Err, we'll go and sit over here now," Aang said before leading Zuko out of hearing range of the two girls.

The two teens collapsed on a soft patch of grass and sat in silence for awhile. "Girls are crazy," Zuko said as he moved onto his back.

Aang nodded in agreement. His eyes darted over to said crazy girls. Katara kept looking over at them so that must mean they were still being discussed. Aang sighed and looked around absently, letting his thoughts drift wherever they may. One such thought made him frown. "Zuko, you know how they say there is a fine line between love and hate?"

Zuko didn't but he said, "Go on," anyway.

"I was just thinking: what if Toph and Katara like each other?"

"What?"

"I mean, they argue a lot and then get along like the best of friends. What if they do like each other? If two guys can fall in love there shouldn't be anything wrong with two girls falling in love."

"Is this some weird fantasy of yours?"

Aang's cheeks darkened considerably. "No!"

"Good," Zuko said as he sat up, his finger gliding down Aang's cheek. "Because I'm the only one you're allowed to fantasize about." He then claimed Aang's lips in a smooth, fluid motion.

Aang pulled back quickly and whispered, "Zuko, they're still watching us."

Zuko let out an irritated sigh as he lay back down on the grass. He listened to the sound of the two girls giggling and silently cursed women in general for annoying him and ruining his fun. He was distracted from his list of reasons why women should be eradicated from the earth when Aang's head appeared on his stomach. Zuko raised an eyebrow at this. "You do know that this will only excite them."

"What do you mean? I'm only using you as a pillow."

Zuko glared at him. "Is that all I'm good for now? Being your pillow?"

Aang hummed thoughtfully. "Yep, pretty much."

Zuko growled threateningly. Aang realized he'd gone too far and jumped to his feet. He took off like a shot, Zuko right behind him shouting, "Get back here you stupid little Airbender!"

Aang didn't stop though, just grinned. He ran out of camp and in the direction of the river, meeting Sokka coming up the path. They were on a collision course and Aang was going too fast to stop in time. Sokka cried out and braced himself for the impact that never happened. At the last second Aang used his Airbending to jump over Sokka, making Sokka think he was safe. That is, until Zuko crashed into him, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" Sokka shouted as he tried to push Zuko off him.

Zuko ignored him, scrambling to his feet to resume chasing the annoying little Airbender. Aang was waiting to the side of the path, waving cheekily. As soon as Zuko started coming at him, Aang used his superior speed to lead Zuko on a game of 'Catch me if you can'.

After they'd been running for what seemed like forever, Zuko finally had to stop and catch his breath. He glared at Aang as the young Avatar continued to wear that annoying grin of his, looking as if he'd hardly broken into a sweat. As Aang came closer Zuko puffed out, "I hate you."

Aang continued to smile. "I hate you too," he said before pecking Zuko's cheek.

Zuko shook his head as he lowered himself to the floor, leaning back against the nearest tree. Aang did the same, only he decided to lie on his back with his head in Zuko's lap. The banished prince looked down and their eyes connected. "How come you're not tired after all that running?"

"I am tired – just not as tired as you," Aang replied simply.

To prove his point he then yawned and closed his eyes. Zuko sighed. "And I'm back to being a pillow."

Aang chuckled. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"No, I guess not," Zuko said as he gazed out at their calm surroundings, folding his arms behind his head. "You do know that if we can't find our way back I'm going to kill you?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Just checking," Zuko said with a small smile as both he and Aang allowed themselves a moment of serenity before returning to the madness that was their camp and family.

* * *

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